Fudgy Buckeye Brownies

I love to jazz up a brownie recipe, and this combo of chocolate + peanut butter is a total dream! These Buckeye Brownie recipe features a fudgy brownie base with a layer of peanut butter cream and a final layer of dark chocolate with sea salt flakes. This is a true indulgence for the chocolate-lovers out there! I used my ever popular Better-Than-Box-Mix Brownies as a base.

They are extra chewy and so chocolate and a cinch to make! So many readers have made them and told me they are the BEST brownies they have every made! This recipe uses cocoa powder instead of chocolate to give an extra chewy texture.

Once the brownies are baked and cooled, I spread on a fudgy layer of peanut butter creamy that is made with cream cheese! It's so rich and so delicious! I topped it all off with a smooth chocolate coating.

HOW TO MAKE FUDGY BUCKEYE BROWNIES:

The trick to making my brownies ultra moist and fudgy is to ensure that the sugar is well dissolved in the eggs. Dissolved sugar forms a syrup and holds onto the moisture tightly to prevent the batter from drying out too quickly in the oven and keeps the brownies moist. I find these brownies taste EVEN BETTER the next day, so this is a great recipe to make in advance!

HOW TO STORE BROWNIES:

If you plan to eat this batch of Buckeye Brownies in 2-3 days, I would recommend storing these in an airtight container at room temperature. If you intend to keep them longer than this, then store them in the fridge. They are best enjoyed at room temperature, but they also make a nice cold fudgy treat straight from the ice box!

WHICH COCOA TO USE FOR BUCKEYE BROWNIES:

This recipe works with either Natural or Dutch-Process cocoa. I prefer natural cocoa because it has a more fruity and acidic flavor that gives brownies a truer chocolate taste and much more characters.

If you prefer a more mellow, one-dimensional chocolate taste, then Dutch-Process cocoa might be for you. Dutch cocoa will also give brownies a darker colour since the process of alkalizing changes the pH value (the acidity) of the cocoa to alter the chemical composition of the colour compounds and make them look more dark brown instead of light rusty brown.

If you love the PB + Chocolate combination, then these brownies are absolutely for you!

If you make them, let me know how you like them in the comments! Here are a few of Christina's other brownie recipes to indulge in:

Better Than Box Mix Chewy Chocolate Brownies

Outrageous Fudgy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Homemade Chewy Cosmic Brownies

The BEST Small Batch Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Molten Salted Caramel Fudge Brownies

Perfect Shiny Crust Classic Fudge Brownies

Black Forest Espresso Fudge Brownies

Triple Chocolate Truffle Brownies

Fudgy Buckeye Brownies

Christina Marsigliese

Fudgey cocoa brownies beneath a layer of creamy peanut butter fudge and a cracking dark chocolate shell!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

  

Brownie Base:

• 1 recipe Better Than Box Mix Chewy Chocolate Brownies

Peanut Butter Layer:

• 3 tablespoon 45g cream cheese), softened
• 2 tablespoon 28g unsalted butter
• ¼ cup 30g icing sugar, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup 120ml smooth peanut butter
• 2 oz 56g pure white chocolate, melted
• 1 tablespoon 15ml milk

Chocolate Topping:

• 3 ½ oz 100g dark chocolate
• 2 teaspoon 10g coconut oil
• sea salt flakes for topping

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at all sides.
• Prepare the Better Than Box Mix Chewy Chocolate Brownies according to the recipe and bake as directed. Let cool completely.
• For the peanut butter layer, beat soft cream cheese with butter until smooth. Beat in icing sugar until pale and fluffy, then mix in vanilla and peanut butter. Mix in melted white chocolate. It will stiffen up. Stir in milk to loosen it to a spreading consistency.
• Spread the peanut butter mixture evenly over the cooled brownie base. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• For the topping, combine chopped chocolate with coconut oil in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave on high power in 20 second bursts until smooth and glossy. Or, you can melt over the stove on medium-low heat. Pour it over the chilled peanut butter layer, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and let set.